1 Samuel 20:6
If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
Original Language Analysis
אִם
H518
אִם
Strong's:
H518
Word #:
1 of 19
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
יִפְקְדֵ֖נִי
at all
H6485
יִפְקְדֵ֖נִי
at all
Strong's:
H6485
Word #:
2 of 19
to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc
יִפְקְדֵ֖נִי
at all
H6485
יִפְקְדֵ֖נִי
at all
Strong's:
H6485
Word #:
3 of 19
to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc
אָבִ֑יךָ
If thy father
H1
אָבִ֑יךָ
If thy father
Strong's:
H1
Word #:
4 of 19
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
נִשְׁאַ֨ל
asked
H7592
נִשְׁאַ֨ל
asked
Strong's:
H7592
Word #:
6 of 19
to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand
נִשְׁאַ֨ל
asked
H7592
נִשְׁאַ֨ל
asked
Strong's:
H7592
Word #:
7 of 19
to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand
מִמֶּ֤נִּי
H4480
מִמֶּ֤נִּי
Strong's:
H4480
Word #:
8 of 19
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
לָרוּץ֙
leave of me that he might run
H7323
לָרוּץ֙
leave of me that he might run
Strong's:
H7323
Word #:
10 of 19
to run (for whatever reason, especially to rush)
עִיר֔וֹ
his city
H5892
עִיר֔וֹ
his city
Strong's:
H5892
Word #:
13 of 19
a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
כִּ֣י
H3588
כִּ֣י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
14 of 19
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
זֶ֧בַח
sacrifice
H2077
זֶ֧בַח
sacrifice
Strong's:
H2077
Word #:
15 of 19
properly, a slaughter, i.e., the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act)
הַיָּמִ֛ים
for there is a yearly
H3117
הַיָּמִ֛ים
for there is a yearly
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
16 of 19
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
שָׁ֖ם
H8033
Cross References
1 Samuel 17:58And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Beth-lehemite.1 Samuel 9:12And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:
Historical Context
Family sacrifices at ancestral locations were regular religious observances. Jesse's family in Bethlehem would have held such gatherings annually. Permission to attend family religious obligations was normally granted to court servants. The story exploited Saul's potential religious scruples.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you evaluate the ethics of protective deception in life-threatening situations?
- What does this passage reveal about how one person's violence corrupts the moral choices of others?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me that he might run to Beth-lehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.
The prepared excuse - David's attendance at a 'yearly sacrifice' in Bethlehem - used religious obligation to explain absence. Such family sacrifices were legitimate obligations, making the cover story plausible. Jonathan would claim David had 'earnestly asked' (nish'ol nish'al) - intensive Hebrew emphasizing repeated, passionate request. The statement was literally true: David did need to be elsewhere. Yet the stated reason concealed the actual purpose. While Scripture records without condemning, the episode shows how Saul's violence forced others into deception for survival.